NCPO to decide today on interim charter

The National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will today consider giving the nod to the proposed interim charter, which is expected to take effect this month, a source said yesterday.

If the NCPO does not seek any alterations to the draft, the proposed charter will be submitted for royal endorsement.

NCPO chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha had earlier revealed on his weekly television programme “Returning Happiness to the People” on Friday that legal specialists were reviewing the interim charter. The junta will quickly seek royal approval for the charter draft so the country’s highest law becomes effective before the end of July.

Wissanu Krea-Ngam, the NCPO’s legal advisory chief, said the interim charter would not have more than 50 articles. His team had drafted 45 articles and some extra provisions have also been proposed. If the NCPO thinks the extra provisions are unnecessary, it can remove them.

His team has also proposed two options for the NCPO to choose from regarding the size of the National Legislative Assembly and the Reform Council. One of the options is an assembly with 200 members and a council with 250 members.

He said he was ready to clarify any doubts or issues the NCPO may have regarding the proposed charter. The council will directly explain to the public details of the interim charter.

Parliament secretary-general Charae Panpruang said that although the NCPO had not yet approached him about the setting up of the National Legislative Assembly and the Reform Council, Parliament was ready to provide personnel, premises and offices for both bodies.